1. Field
Example embodiments may relate to methods of manufacturing an image sensor, and particularly to a method of manufacturing an image sensor with reduced dark current.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor may convert optical images into electric signals. As computers and related technology develop, demand for image sensors has increased for a variety of fields such as digital cameras, camcorders, PCS (Personal Communication System), games, security cameras, medical micro cameras, robots, and other applications.
In related art image sensors, a unit pixel may photoelectrically convert incident light and may accumulate electric charge corresponding to the quantity of the light in a photoelectric converter, and image signals may be generated through a read-out operation. Generally, the greater the quantity of light received by the photoelectric converter, the potentially better the sensitivity. An interlayer insulating film, an inter-metal insulating film, and/or an etch stop film may be layered above the photoelectric converter and may reflect or disperse incident light and reduce the quantity of light received by the photoelectric converter.
A related art process for removing the interlayer insulating film, inter-metal insulating film, and/or etch stop film above the photoelectric converter may be applied. Related art processes removing films may be applied by a dry etching process using plasma. If dry etching using plasma is applied, plasma damage may be caused by plasmatic etching gas. The plasma damage may increase dark current and/or deteriorate characteristics of image sensors.